Vegetable gatherer



Nov. 13, 1951 L. D. ROUNDS ET AL 2,575,235

VEGETABLE GATHERER Filed Sept. 30, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. 02123 Z2 1%202193,

ATI'U RN EYS Nov- 13, 195 L. D. ROUNDS ETAL VEGETABLE GATHERER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Sept. 50, '1948 ATTD RN EYS Patented Nov. 13, i951 UNITED VEGETABLE GATHERER Louis D. Rounds and Nemi A. White, Toledo, Ohio Application September 30, 1948, Serial No. 51,944

This invention relates to a device for picking up potatoes.

An object of the invention is to provide a device that will enable the user to pick up potatoes from the ground without any stooping on the part of the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for quickly and easily picking up and dumping potatoes without imposing a strain on the users back.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for picking up potatoes which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device for picking up potatoes according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the device, with the swinging door in closed position;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the swinging door in open position;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a view showing the position of the device for dumping potatoes into a suitable receptacle.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral l0 designates a hollow, elongated handle fabricated of a suitable metal, such as aluminum.

Extending longitudinally in the hollow handle I!) and rotatably mounted therein is a hollow, openended shaft A gripping handle I2 is provided with a shoulder 9 which abuts the ends of the handle l0 and shaft H, and. the handle |2 also includes a projection I 3 which registers with an open end of the shaft H and is secured thereto. The gripping handle l2 has a resilient casing l4 thereon for insuring a better gripping action by the user. A pair of apertured lugs |5 have their ends secured, as by welding, to the handle "I, and a pin l5 mounted transversely on the other end of the lugs carries a rotatable rubber handle ll for causing rotary movement of the elongated handle l0.

Projecting into the other open end of the hollow shaft H and secured thereto, as by welding, is a 1 Claim. (Cl. 56-327) plug l8 which has secured thereto a pair of spaced, opposed arms l9 and 20. The arms l9 and 20 are secured to the screen, indicated broadly by the numeral 2|. The screen 2| comprises a plurality of U-shaped, spaced, parallel rods or wires 1 having their forward ends secured together and bent upwardly, as at 22. The screen 2| is also provided with a bar 23 arranged above and on each side of the screen for coa'cting with the bent ends 22 to hold potatoes on the screen.

For moving potatoes onto the screen, a rectangularly-shaped swinging door 25 is provided and embodies a plurality of spaced, parallel bars or wires 26. One end of the swinging door 25 is bent to define a hinge 21 which rotatably receives the lower portion of the arm l9 to permit swinging movement of the door 25. Secured to the lowermost of the bars 26 of the door 25 is a curved or arcuate strap 6 which guides the potatoes onto the screen 2| when the door'25 is moved toward the latter.

A spacing element 28 is rotatably mounted on arm I!) between the door 25 and screen 2| and maintains the door in spaced relation above the rods 1 of the screen 2| and permits the door 25 to swing freely above the screen.

For causing swinging movement of the door 25, a first link 29 has one end secured, as by welding, to the hollow handle l0, and its other end pivotally connected to one end of a second link 30. The other end of the second link 30 is pivotally connected to the door 25. I

In use, with potatoes arranged on the ground, the device is positioned so that the rods 1 of the screen 2| are in superposed relation with respect to the ground, the swinging door being open, as in Figure 1.' To pick up the potatoes the user grips the handle M with the left hand to hold the device stationary, and grips the handle l1 with the right hand. By moving the handle I! in a counter clockwise direction, the hollow handle I!) is rotated to thereby actuate the linkage 29 and 30 to swing the door 25 toward the screen 2|. This swinging movement of the door 25 forces the potatoes onto the rear open end of the screen 2|, the door being shown in closed position in Figures 2 and 4. To dump the potatoes from the screen, the device is lifted to the position illustrated in Figure 7, so that the potatoes will tumble off the back end 22 of the screen 2| into a suitable basket or container.

We claim:

In a device for picking up potatoes, a hollow handle, a shaft rotatably mounted in said handle, manually-operable means connected to said handle for rotating said handle, a plug connected to one end of said shaft, a pair of spaced, opposed arms secured to said plug, a screen arranged at right angles with respect to said arms and secured to the latter, a door operatively connected to one of said arms and mounted for swinging movement about the latter above the screen, means for operatively connecting said door to said handle, said last-named means comprising a first link having one end secured to said handle, a second link having one end pivotally connected to the other end of said first link and its other end pivotally connected to said door, means on said screen for holding potatoes on the latter, and an arcuate potato guiding strap carried by said door.

LOUIS D. ROUNDS.

NEMI A. WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hignutt Dec. 1'7, 1867 Kaestner Nov. 25, 1873 Miller Oct. 31, 1893 Armstrong Mar. 6, 1894 Crawford Dec. 29, 1908 Milliken Oct. 25, 1910 Staples Aug. 25, 1914 Metzler June 16, 1925 Bochenek Mar. 17, 1936 Dawn Nov. 1, 1938 Jones Feb. 6, 1940 Wyland Sept. 16, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May 5, 1921 

